1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus which permits forward-to-rearward adjustability between two fixedly coupled members of a cockpit assembly during the manufacturing process of a vehicle and, more particularly, to a cockpit assembly in which the forward-to-rearward adjustability may be prevented by activating fastening elements of the cockpit assembly through an engine compartment of the vehicle.
2. Related Art
Vehicle manufacturers are often concerned with reducing the costs associated with constructing vehicles on an assembly line. In order to streamline the assembly process, the vehicle manufacturers often construct sub-assemblies in separate assembly lines and utilize the sub-assemblies as finished and/or semi-finished components in a main (or final) assembly line on which the vehicle is constructed.
One such sub-assembly which is of particular concern to vehicle manufacturers is a cockpit assembly. With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional cockpit assembly 18 may include a plurality of elements, such as the instrument panel 21 and the firewall 19. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the instrument panel 21 includes many well known elements such as an instrument cluster, vehicle controls, stereo system, glove compartment, ventilation system, etc. The cockpit assembly 18 also includes a steering column support (not shown) which couples the steering wheel 22, among other things, to load bearing elements of the cockpit assembly 18. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many other elements, such as the brake pedal 23, accelerator pedal 24, master cylinder, wire harnesses, transmission elements and controls, etc. may be included in the cockpit assembly 18.
In accordance with known assembly techniques, the cockpit assembly 18 is treated as a sub-assembly (i.e., a substantially fully assembled element) which is connected with a body shell 10 of a vehicle by lowering the cockpit assembly 18 into an opening 11 of the body shell 10 (downwardly as illustrated by arrow 26).
When the cockpit assembly 18 is in a suitable position, the firewall 19 is coupled to the vehicle sub-structure (or frame) at location 15. The firewall 19 shown in FIG. 1 fully separates the engine compartment 12 from a passenger compartment of the vehicle. As is known in the art, the firewall 19 is fixedly coupled to the vehicle sub-structure 15 using any of the known fasteners, such as bolts, screws, welds, rivets, etc. Thus, the firewall 19 is rigidly connected to the vehicle sub-structure 15 and should not move.
The instrument panel 21 and steering column support are fixedly coupled to a cross-car support 20 which, when the cockpit assembly 18 is installed in the vehicle, ensures that the instrument panel 21, steering wheel 22 and other linkages are properly positioned and/or fixed for use. The cross-car support 20 is fixedly coupled to another area of the vehicle sub-structure, namely, the A-pillars 13, 14. More particularly, a leftward end of the cross-car support 20 includes a mounting plate 28 which communicates with a corresponding plate 30 at A-pillar 13. Similarly, a rightward end of the cross-car support 20 includes a mounting plate 29 which communicates with a corresponding plate 31 of A-pillar 14. The cross-car support 20 is rigidly coupled to the vehicle sub-structure at the A-pillars 13, 14 using, for example, bolts 32.
The cross-car support 20 is also rigidly connected to the firewall 19 by way of intermediate linkages (not shown) which ensure that the instrument panel 21, steering wheel 22, and other cockpit assembly elements become rigidly positioned with respect to the firewall 19. Federal safety laws mandate that the steering column support be rigidly coupled to the firewall 19 via at least some of the intermediate linkages.
A substantial problem has been discovered with respect to the conventional cockpit assembly 18 of FIG. 1. In particular, when the firewall 19 is rigidly connected to the vehicle sub-structure 15, the mounting plates 28, 29 of the cross-car support 20 often do not line up with the corresponding plates 30, 31 of A-pillars 13 and 14, respectively. Indeed, manufacturing tolerances (particularly in the forward-to-rearward dimensions) between the vehicle sub-structure 15 and the A-pillars 13, 14 may vary. Further, component tolerances of the cockpit assembly 18 (again, in the forward-to-rearward dimensions) between the cross-car support 20 and firewall 19 may also vary.
The problem associated with the forward-to-rearward tolerances may be better understood with reference to FIG. 2, which schematically illustrates the forward-to-rearward component stack-up of the body shell 10 and cockpit assembly 18. The body shell 10 is illustrated as an elongated member 10 extending in the noted forward-to-rearward direction. The vehicle sub-structure 15 is illustrated as a rigidly fixed member connected to the body shell 10 at a forward position. The A-pillars 13, 14 are illustrated as rigidly fixed members connected to the body shell 10 at a rearward position. An ideal forward-to-rearward dimension, A, exists between the vehicle sub-structure 15 and the A-pillars 13, 14. Due to component tolerances, however, the dimension A may vary by xcex94A/2 in either direction, resulting in a total tolerance of xcex94A. The cockpit assembly 18 is schematically illustrated as a forward-to-rearward stack-up of the firewall 19, the intermediate linkages 19a, the steering column support 22a and the cross-car support 20. The forward-to-rearward dimension of the cockpit assembly 18 is represented by the dimension B. Due to component tolerances of the cockpit assembly 18, dimension B of the cockpit assembly may vary by xcex94B/2 in either direction, resulting in a total tolerance of xcex94B.
As dimension A may vary by +/xe2x88x92xcex94A/2 and dimension B may vary by +/xe2x88x92xcex94B/2, the mounting plates 28, 29 of the cockpit assembly 18 and the mounting plates 30, 31 of the body shell 10 may not, and often do not, line up. Conversely, when the cross-car support 20 is connected to the body shell 10 before the firewall 19 is connected to the body shell 10, the firewall may not properly seat at sub-structure 15 (either because of interference or gap).
In an effort to alleviate this problem, vehicle manufacturers have attempted to drive the tolerances xcex94A and xcex94B towards zero. As to the cockpit assembly 18, reducing the tolerance xcex94B to zero requires the use of a custom assembly fixture, which ensures that the forward-to-rearward dimension B is achieved without a substantial tolerance xcex94B. The costs associated with developing and utilizing such a fixture are excessive. Further, scrap costs increase substantially as the tolerance xcex94B is driven towards zero. Similar problems are associated with driving the tolerance xcex94A towards zero.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new cockpit assembly and method of connecting a cockpit assembly to a vehicle body which: (i) does not require a custom cockpit assembly fixture; (ii) permits for variations in the forward-to-rearward dimensions of the cockpit assembly and/or the vehicle sub-structure; and (iii) meets the federal vehicle safety requirements regarding rigidity between the steering column support and the firewall.
In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, a cockpit assembly in accordance with the invention includes: a cross-car support having leftward and rightward ends, each end being adapted to connect to respective left and right A-pillars of a vehicle; a wall member having a central area defined by a periphery and a support mount disposed at the central area, the wall member being connectable to the vehicle such that the wall member at least partially separates an engine compartment and a passenger compartment of the vehicle; a steering column support having a body connected to the cross-car support; and a brake sled including a body having a forward end, a rearward end, a first mount located at the forward end of the body and being operable to couple to the support mount of the wall member with forward-to-rearward adjustability, and a second mount located at the rearward end of the body and being operable to be fixedly coupled to the steering column support.
Preferably, at least one of the forward mount and the support mount includes one or more substantially forward-to-rearward directed slots, where the slots are operable to adjustably communicate with the other of the forward mount and the support mount. It is most preferred that the forward mount of the brake sled includes the forward-to-rearward directed slot and the support mount includes an aperture which communicates with the slot. The slot and aperture preferably receive a fastener (such as a bolt, screw, rivet, shaft, etc.) which permits the forward-to-rearward slidable adjustability between the brake sled and the wall member when the fastener is loose. The fastener preferably prohibits the forward-to-rearward adjustability when tightened.
The present invention also contemplates a method of installing a cockpit assembly into a vehicle, the cockpit assembly including a cross-car support; a wall member having a central area and a support mount disposed at the central area; a steering column support connected to the cross-car support; and a brake sled having a first mount located at a forward end thereof and being forward-to-rearward adjustably coupled to the support mount of the wall member, and a second mount located at a rearward end of the brake sled which is coupled to the steering column support, the method comprising: positioning the cockpit assembly in the vehicle; connecting the wall member to a first frame portion of the vehicle such that the wall member at least partially separates an engine compartment and a passenger compartment of the vehicle; permitting the brake sled to slidably adjust its forward-to-rearward position with respect to the wall member; connecting the cross-car support to leftward and rightward A-pillars of the vehicle; and fixing the brake sled to the wall member at the first mount and support mount such that the forward-to-rearward adjustability therebetween is prevented.
Other aspects, features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein taken in combination with the accompanying drawings.